alexandek



' gauge as long as the -gears are u/sed upon the saine animal. As th withdrawing arrangement requires a rot Inrnovrn sans rAsTENINc.

W. J. I ALEXANDER, *OF` MANCHESTER, IOWA. Letters Patent No. 60,819, dated December 11, 1855. l

@te dgttule referat tu iu ttm ttters ntett mit mating tutt tilts amm.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY "CONCERN: p p

Be it known that I, W. J. ALEXANDER, of Manchester, in the county of Delaware, and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Hamc Fastening; and I do` hereby declare the following to be Aa full, clear, and 1l l exa-ct description of thc same, sufficient to enable one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains `to make use of it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which forma part of thisspecication',land l f in whichi 7 Figure lis a' perspective view. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section.

This device is for fastening the harness uponthe collar, and consists of twoiportions attached to the respec-` tive hames, one slipping into the other and fastening therein by the engagement of a spring-catch with recesses i in the socket. The catch-pieceis detached from the socket by a peculiar motion, and the whole `is metallic and intended to prevent the fastening from'v being gnawecl and destroyed, as is frequently the case with mule harness,` y

In the drawings, A A, represent the ends of the two hames, B, is a catch-piece fastened to'the'loop of one haine, and C is the socket-piece fastened to the loop ofthe other haine. The catch-piece B is made of such size l and form as to slip within the socket C; they are both somewhat curved so as tocorrespond to the shape 'of the collar against which the socket abuts, and the spring-catch D, engages with the notches-E lon the interior` of the socket, so as to prevent the detachmentuntil the spring is lifted. The means for raising the springend unfas-` t teuing the catch is alorded by the button, F, at the end of the catch-piece, and it is so constructed that itL requires a double motion to enable it to actupon the spring-catch; on the end of `the shaft, G, is an eccentric,

H, which when it is withdrawn out of `contact with thepin, I, may be rotated against 4the spring, J, which is,

pivotted at K; the depression of the bow of thel spring by the revolution of the eccentric, H, has theelfect of raising the catch out of contact with then'otches, and the piece, B, may thenbe withdrawn from the socket,`C.

The pin, L, is used to limit the penetration of the piece, B, and the spring, M, tends to keep the button up fj against the piece, B, and rotated so as to enable theeccentric to reachthe pin, I, where it is locked.` v The operation is as follows The pieces,` B C, being attached to the loops on the lower enclsof the respective hames, the latter are laid over' the collar and catch-piece, B is slipped into the socket C, the catch D, 3 engaging with the notches E,l the irst 'time it ,i is placed on thecollar of the mule, the pin-L is removed, and thepiece B is pushed in until the haines are tight enouglnthe pin L is then 'placed in position to act asL followed by a longitudinal motion, it is not within the `bounds of` probability that the animalswillsucceed `inf unfasteningtheir hames for themselves, or foreach other, which'is a common occurrence when they are fastenedl` in the usuakmannerby a leather thong or strap, it 'is more apt to occur with mule` teams/but itsfacility and security recommend it for fastening llames on `the collars of horses and mules at both ends` of the harness, if

desired;

I Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,` is

1. The haine fastening consisting of the catch piece B, and the socket AC, with' the spring-catch D, and notches E, respectively and united to the loops of the hames substantially'asand for the purpose described. lw

2. The arrangement for the button F, shaft G, eccentric H, and spring M, operating as described.

3. The pin L, as and for the purpose described. l I

W; J. ALEXANDER.

Witnesses Crus. E. BnoNsoN V. CHILDS. 

